Ukrainian Forces Hit Russian Fuel Plant With UK-supplied Storm Shadow Missiles.
In a significant military action, Kyiv's forces reportedly used British-made Storm Shadow missiles to strike a major Russian oil refinery. The attack occurred on Thursday, according to the country's military command.
Details of the Strike and Strategic Impact
The plant in question, the Novoshakhtinsk refinery, was said to be hit, with multiple blasts observed at the site. This marks not the first instance where Ukraine has utilized these powerful British-supplied missiles against targets inside Russian soil.
Military spokespersons noted that the Novoshakhtinsk facility acts as one of the main providers of petrol products in Russia's south and is directly involved in supplying the military of the Russian Federation.
Political Discussions on the War Front
Separately, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Thursday that he held productive talks with envoys of former US President Donald Trump, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The conversation focused on possible ways to end the war.
“We had a very productive conversation: numerous specifics, good ideas, that we discussed,” Zelenskyy wrote on a messaging platform. “There are some fresh concepts on how to move toward a genuine peace closer, and it concerns approaches, potential summits, and, of course, the timeline.”
Judicial Proceedings Inside the Country
In a parallel internal matter, a court in Russia has convicted a pro-war activist and opponent of Vladimir Putin on charges of justifying terrorism. Sergei Udaltsov, head of the Left Front movement, was sentenced to six years in a penal colony.
This case are said to be based on an online post Udaltsov published in support of another group of Russian activists charged with forming a terrorist organisation. Udaltsov has denied the charges as politically motivated and, after the sentencing, reportedly announced to begin a hunger strike in protest.
Foreign Prisoner Situation
The Kremlin indicated it is in contact with French authorities concerning the case of Laurent Vinatier, a French researcher serving a prison term in Russia and allegedly facing new charges of spying.
An official stated that Russia has presented a proposal to France regarding Vinatier, and now “it is in France’s court.” French President Emmanuel Macron’s office confirmed he is closely following the situation, with all government services working to provide consular support and push for his liberation as soon as possible.
Controversial Reopening in Occupied City
A theatre in Mariupol, which was destroyed in a devastating bombardment while hundreds of civilians were sheltering in its basement, is scheduled to open its doors again. Russian occupation authorities have promoted the rebuilding as a sign of renewal.
Conversely, previous staff from the theatre have called the planned opening as “dancing on bones.” The reconstruction is part of a wider Moscow effort to showcase its rule in occupied Ukraine, a process accompanied by the detention or expulsion of critics and confiscation of assets from local residents.
The theatre is expected to open by the end of the month with a performance of a classic Russian story, following its reconstruction largely anew over the past two years.
